


a big heart tied up with a tight smile

by softkimnamjoon



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, renmin if you squint reaaal hard, soo fluffy its lowkey plotless but not really, the other dreamies r there too but not as much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 14:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16177448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softkimnamjoon/pseuds/softkimnamjoon
Summary: Five times Renjun didn’t give a fuck and was mad about it and one time he still didn’t care but was less mad about it.





	a big heart tied up with a tight smile

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my lovely friends [ Awhina](https://twitter.com/seokjinsgalaxy_) for proof-reading for me and to [ Rosie](https://paisleystyles.tumblr.com) and [ Li](https://twitter.com/softsunbear) for being encouraging ect ily. Also I know the way I talk about the dorms makes no sense please bear with me..

**1.**

“Mark and Donghyuck are practicing over time again.” Jaemin said, throwing himself onto Renjun’s bed, messing up the crisp new sheets that had Renjun had just finished putting on.

 

Renjun placed his hands on his hips and squinted skeptically down at him.

 

“Who cares?”

 

Jaemin scoffs while adjusting the numerous pillows.

 

“I do, and I _know_ you do too. Somethings up.”

 

It has been like this for weeks now, according to Jisung Donghyuck had been dabbling in creating choreographies recently and needed someone to test them with which is why they were always gone.

 

Renjun isn’t one for gossip or speculation, not even in his own head. That being said he couldn’t help but wonder if it means what he thinks it means when Donghyuck and Mark spend so much time alone like that.

 

He caught them once, through the practice room window. Hyuck was the only one dancing, presumably to show Mark what the next steps were, but they had been there for hours and Mark was clearly tired of dancing. Mark suddenly moved out towards him, hands outstretched and promptly tackled Donghyuck and begun tickling him. Donghyuck’s squeals and giggles were distracting enough but the most noticeable thing of all was how bright Mark was smiling. The scene was painstakingly intimate and Renjun quickly left, feeling like he had intruded on something he shouldn’t have.

 

Renjun hadn’t told Jaemin (or anyone for that matter) what he’d seen, he’d like to say it’s because he respected their privacy but it’s actually because he doesn’t want to know. He proceeded to say as such.

 

“Well, even if you’re right why would you want to see any of that? Miss me with that mushy shit. Now get off my bed heathen.”

 

With a groan Jaemin rolled off the bed and punched Renjun’s shin. His own rather pathetic way of retaliation.

 

“Yeah well, I like mushy shit. Plus if anything happens the managers might get involved, it’ll be messy and not fun.” Jaemin frowned after this and looked up at Renjun seriously. “I am worried about them you know? We’re all just teenagers, kids really.”

 

 

**2.**

Renjun yelped as he suddenly felt a jab of pain, pulling him out of the world of Luke Skywalker’s and Han Solo’s. Rubbing his arm he glared at Jaemin, eyebrows raised.

 

“Look.” Jaemin whispered and nodded at Donghyuck who was sitting on a table with his phone, just a few meters away. Renjun stared for a second then turned back to Jaemin.

 

“Isn’t that-?”

 

“That’s what I thought. Do you think he knows? Do you think _Mark_ knows?” Renjun glanced back over at Donghyuck then moved closer to Jaemin.

 

“Okay I’m gonna be real here, I’ve noticed Hyuck wearing Mark’s clothes quite a few times before, but _that_ one is practically Mark’s offspring, even he barely wears it. To ‘preserve’ it or some bullshit”

 

Jaemin nodded thoughtfully then, much to Renjun’s disappointment, opened his mouth.

 

“Haechannie~ that’s a nice hoodie you got there.”

 

Donghyuck looked up in surprise then back down at the hoodie, as if he’d forgotten he was wearing it.

 

“Oh, yeah Mark gave it to me.”

 

He almost got away his throw-away tone if it weren’t for the slight blush that rose to his cheeks when he accidentally made eye contact with Renjun.

 

“Awwhhh isn’t that cute Injunnie~~!” Jaemin cooed teasingly.

 

“Adorable. Can we please keep watching Star Wars now?”

 

“Whatever, Hyuck you wanna join?”

 

“Eh never been a fan.”

 

“Suit yourself.”

 

With a final wink at Donghyuck Jaemin turned back to the screen and stayed quiet. For a while. That is until an unfortunate Mark entered the room and joined Jaemin and Renjun on the couch. He gestured to Donghyuck to sit next to him, which he did without question. Renjun could’ve sworn he heard Jaemin mutter ‘ _unbelievable_ ’ under his breath but decided, for the sake of peace, not to bring it up. Jaemin, having decided that Donghyuck’s blatant favourtism was too much, now turned his attention to Mark, hoping for a more successful reaction.

 

“Hey Hyung isn’t that your most favourite jumper?”

 

Mark spluttered causing Jaemin to laugh loudly.

 

“I swear to god if you guys don’t be quiet I’ll personally make sure none of you leave this room in one piece.”

 

 

**3.**

“Almost! You have to pronounce the ‘o’ a little more like an ‘oh’ though.”

 

“S-oh-ft?”

 

Marks laugh traveled through the wall between the living room and Renjun’s room easily making it difficult for Renjun to read.

 

“Close enough. Okay now try this, ‘squish’”

 

“Squeesh?”

 

Mark laughed again. “Almost. Do you know what it means?”

 

“Noo, is it similar to ‘s-oh-ft’?”

 

“Hmm not really but kind of. It does describe how something feels but it describes a different part. Something ‘squishy’ is-"

 

Renjun let his book fall onto his face and groaned. He just couldn’t win while those two were around. He stood up and stretched deciding that maybe this was a good excuse to go get some food before rehearsal later on.

 

In the dorms the kitchen is basically in the same room as the living room. The only thing separating them was a bench island with drawers on the kitchen side and stools on the other. Unfortunately for Renjun this means he has no choice but to observe Mark and Donghyuck being disgusting while preparing his food. 

 

He managed to avoid looking at them on the way through the living room to the kitchen but after that it was a lost cause.

 

He accidently looked up while putting various spreads down on the bench island and immediately resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

 

Mark and Donghyuck were sitting on the rather small living room couch, but not normally like most people would, Mark was sitting across almost the whole thing with his legs stretched out and Donghyuck was sitting in his lap. If that wasn’t enough they were facing each other and talking, flirting rather but Renjun didn’t want to think about it. 

 

He put his head down and furiously made sandwiches. With a feeling of committing something courageous he grabbed his food and ran back through the living room into the safety of the dorm bedroom corridor, but not before catching Mark’s hand on Donghyuck’s thigh. Realising his could still hear them from where he was he decided his best course of action was to take refuge in Jaemins room considering it was the furthest away.

 

Sighing he took a mournful bite of his sandwich and made his way down the hall with Donghyuck’s laughs following him.

 

 

**4.**

The first sign that something wasn’t right was when Mark and Donghyuck came to rehearsal separately. Even during the occasional 5 minute water and toilet breaks they interacted at a bare minimum, their usual glances and smiles gone.

 

Everyone noticed and kept looking at each other to see if anyone else knew what was going on, but apparently both Donghyuck and Mark had stayed tight lipped. Renjun caught Jaemins eye as everyone sat down for a break, Mark and Donghyuck on opposite sides of the room. Jaemin raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘ _what’s up with that_ ’ but all Renjun could find to reply with was shrug and grimace. ‘ _I don’t know but they had better sort it out._ ’

 

Unfortunately they did not sort it out. Days turned into weeks and still they refused even acknowledge each other’s existence let alone be in the same room long enough to talk it out. With a comeback just around the corner Renjun realised there wasn’t any more time for them to figure out whatever was going on between them, at least not by themselves. Their feud was beginning to affect the group, bringing down the atmosphere and making the youngest members emotional and sensitive to the occasional stifling silence.

 

Deciding enough was enough Renjun talked himself into knocking on Donghyuck’s door. Hearing an affirmative hum he pushed it open to find Donghyuck playing on a DS. Donghyuck looked surprised to see him and put the DS down.

 

“Hey Injunnie, what’s up?” He moved up the bed so Renjun could sit next to him.

 

Renjun sat down tentatively and strummed his fingers on his thighs.

 

“So..”

 

Donghyuck sighed, laid down and closed his eyes. “Is this about Mark?”

 

“..Yeah, do you want to talk about it?”

 

“Not really.”

 

Silence engulfed the room. Renjun pulled out his phone and found Donghyuck’s contact.

 

 _**Injunnie:** _  
_text it to me instead?_

 _**Hyuck:** _  
_…_

 _**Injunnie:** _  
_please?? you guys have to sort_  
_this shit out and i want to help_

 

Donghyuck looked away from his phone to look at Renjun in distaste but Renjun stared him down until he started typing again.

 

 _**Hyuck:** _  
_ugh its just so stupid._

 _its kinda embarrassing to talk_  
_about bc it makes no sense._

 _basically mark told me part of my choreography_  
_was bad or something similar even_  
_tho he knows that im not_  
_very confident or anything yet_

 _i know its not a big deal but it got me worked_  
_up and we ended up yelling at each other_  
_about all sorts of things that im pretty sure_  
_neither of us really mean,, well most of it_

_idk what to do :((_

_i feel like if we try to talk we’ll just get upset_  
_again_

_anywaaayy_

 

Renjun started as he heard a sniffle from where Donghyuck was burying his face into a pillow.

 

“Oh Duckie..” He whispered, pulling him into a hug. “It’s okay, you guys are best friends and nothings gonna stop that, especially not something like this. Fuck Mark you can think about him later”

 

Donghyuck let out a shuddering sigh but didn’t say anything else. He just clung onto Renjun’s sweater and cried his little heart out.

 

Renjun hugged him tighter and hoped this would all be over soon. He had never told either of them this but he had always been a little bit envious of Mark and Donghyuck’s relationship. They always seemed to be on the same page, even when they were bickering they knew when was enough. He couldn’t help but wonder how something so strong could waver, even for a second.

 

 

**5.**

The comeback was well underway when Mark and Donghyuck made up. Twenty minutes before their stage Mark stood up to speak to Donghyuck in a low voice before they both left the room. Renjun sighed and leaned back in his chair as Jaemin let out little whoops of excitement.

 

“Hey Hyung,” Chenle asked, pushing his wheely chair over to him. “Do you know what happened with Mark and Hyuck?”

 

Renjun paused then shook his head.

 

“And if I did know I wouldn’t tell you, ask them yourself sometime.”

 

Chenle pouted but didn’t say anything more. After ten minutes Renjun started getting restless. The time before they had to be on stage was getting short and no one had seen Mark or Donghyuck since they left the room. Five minutes later the stylists who returned to do final touch-ups were up the walls with worry. Renjun excused himself to go find them, listening at any door which lead to an unbooked green room. Eventually he came across one where he could hear a hushed voice. Recognizing it as Mark’s he knocked on the door.

 

“Guys we’re on stage in like five minutes, I’m glad you’re talking about please the staff are going mad and I am too now that I think about it.”

 

Without waiting for a response Renjun went straight to offstage where he knew the others to be already waiting to get their headsets and mics checked.

 

Barely thirty seconds after he’d arrived and put his headset on Mark and Donghyuck came running through the backstage door, slightly out of breath with hands tightly clenched together.

 

One by one the dreamies spotted them and Renjun could see that Jaemin was one second away from screaming. Before he could do anything Renjun rolled his eyes pulled them all in quickly together for a group hug. Renjun felt himself smiling into the mess of bodies as he heard them all call out in surprise and some in protest, but pulled himself out again remembering they had to be on stage any minute now.

 

“Shit,” He clapped his hands to get their attention again. “Mark and Haechannie go get your mics checked we have to go.”

 

He pushed them towards the technician staff but not before Mark could yell a quick ‘yo dream’ over his shoulder.

 

 

**+1.**

After the performance they went to take photos together then were ushered outside into their van to head back to the dorms. Renjun hadn’t had the chance to talk to Donghyuck about what happened but judging from how he and Mark hadn’t stopped holding hands since getting inside the van it was probably fine.

 

Renjun closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the seat listening to Jeno and Jaemin’s quiet chatter. Just as he was about to fall asleep he felt a tap on his elbow.

 

Mark leaned over from behind Renjun’s seat, careful not to wake the sleeping Donghyuck beside him.

 

“I just wanted to say thanks for talking to Hyuck when we were fighting. It felt really shitty not talking to him but it makes me feel better to know you were looking out for him.”

 

Renjun laughed crinkling his eyes at him.

 

“It’s no worries Mark, besides, you’re my friend too. I’m here for you both. But,” He paused. “I’d appreciate if you avoided making Hyuckie feel like that in the future.”

 

Mark nodded seriously before leaning back and letting Donghyuck’s head fall back onto his shoulder. 

 

When they got back to the dorms Renjun walked behind Mark who was helping a sleepy Donghyuck navigate. When they reached Donghyuck’s room Renjun walked past them- and that was definitely a kiss he just heard behind him. Walking faster he almost laughed with how well this all turned out. He was looking forward to how Jaemin would react to this. Smiling to himself he closed and turned the lock, the click echoing down the now empty corridor.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is actually leader Renjun propaganda. I love him.
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated <3  
> twitter: [ sknjoonie](https://twitter.com/sknjoonie)  
> tumblr: [ softkimnamjoon](https://softkimnamjoon.tumblr.com)


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